1. Technical Field
This invention generally relates to the field of gaming and more specifically relates to a method of playing cards.
2. Background Art
The game of poker is one of the most popular card games played throughout the world. This game is typically played with a standard deck of playing cards containing fifty-two cards in four different suits. In another variation, Pai-Gow Tiles, a set of thirty-two tiles, somewhat similar to common domino tiles, are used in place of playing cards. The object of a standard game of "high" poker is for a player to collect a combination of cards or tiles in their hand having the highest rank relative to the other players' hands. Similarly, the object of the game of "low poker" is to collect a combination of cards or tiles having the lowest relative rank. The determination of what constitutes the highest or lowest ranking hand is based on a hierarchy of card or tile hands long established in poker and Pai-Gow. For example, in a five-card hand, the highest possible ranking hand is a "royal flush" including an Ace, King, Queen, Jack and Ten card all having the same suit (e.g., all diamonds). Similarly, in a five-card hand, the lowest possible ranking hand is a mixture including a Two, Three, Four, Five, and Six card having four different suits (e.g., diamonds, hearts, spades, and clubs). Thus, it can be seen that poker hands are ranked according to the hierarchy of the individual card or tile as well as the hierarchy of certain card combinations well known in the art.
Over the years, several variations of poker have been developed and become well established. One of these is high/low poker where the objective is to obtain either the highest ranking hand or the lowest ranking hand. Typically, high/low poker is played with a single hand and a player decides whether to attempt forming either the highest hand or the lowest hand. Many players prefer this type of poker because it doubles a player's chance of winning a portion of the "pot" or wagered amount. In a casino or gaming establishment setting, high/low poker is typically played at tables that include a location for a dealer and about six additional players. Each player places a bet and receives several cards. In order to win his bet, the cards in a player's hand must have a higher rank than the other players' high hands or a lower rank than the other players' low hands. A few variations of the standard high/low poker game have been developed. One of these variations is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,294,128 to Marquez for a high/high/low banking card game. The patent is incorporated herein by reference for its pertinent and supportive teachings.
Although poker is a very popular card game, there are many areas of the country where poker cannot be played in regulated gaming establishments and casinos. For example, in Arizona, there are many gambling casinos that are operated on Federal Indian Reservations under the oversight of the National Indian Gaming Commission (NIGC). According to the current laws governing these gaming establishments, traditional poker and other "dealer bank" games may not be played because they are categorized as class III games under the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act (IGRA). In "dealer bank" games, the dealer or house acts as the bank, paying all losses and collecting all winnings from the other players at the table.
In view of this, it would be desirable to have a high/low poker game where the dealer did not operate as the bank, thereby creating a game that could be approved for use on Federal Indian Reservations. This would increase the revenue for the casinos and provide additional opportunities for gaming enjoyment for the patrons of the establishments. In addition, new and exciting variations of existing games are useful to stimulate interest and to attract new customers to casinos. While the basic high/low poker game can be enjoyable, alternate betting strategies would add variety and increased interest to game play.
In addition, without a constant influx of new and stimulating gaming options and opportunities, many casino customers have a tendency to lose interest in the casino and will generally seek entertainment elsewhere. Therefore, what is needed is a non-banking high/low poker game that can offer a variety of stimulating betting options and other variations to generate customer interest in the game and continued entertainment for the patrons of the casinos.